Undead: The Final Battle
by v3Olympus
Summary: The Giant War is over, and yet, it is not the fate of a demigod to find peace. With the arrival of a new foe whom none but two of their leaders have met, the half-bloods rally to fight a battle in which they are heavily outnumbered. With the gods struggling with their own difficulties, the demigods must look to a miracle if they wish to come out of this alive.
1. Foreboding

_**Summary**_

**Three amazing series. Many well-loved characters. Numerous fans, _one_ fandom. This story is my attempt at what may have happened after the battle that happens at the conclusion of the Giant War. Given that this story was written well ahead of the Trials of Apollo, it will be inconsistent with that plotline.****Being a demigod has never been easy. Read ahead at your own risk.**

It was cold. That was the first thing that struck her as odd. Not long since the Giant War, the sky had always been shadowed, like the sun was either lost or hiding. Rumour had spread that Apollo had lost his position among the gods, and with it, his immortality. Reyna could only hope that it remained just that- a rumour. She held no love for the god of the sun, but she knew that if ever the rumour was true, the consequences could be catastrophic. Ever had the two camps relied on prophecies to guide their actions. If Apollo was indeed lost to them, it would mean grave things indeed.

With Aurum and Argentum loyally flanking her sides as she sat in the _principia_, Reyna pondered for long if she was perhaps looking for a storm where there was none. It had been cold and gloomy ever since, even at times when it would have been bright and sunny, but somehow, it felt out of the ordinary. Somehow, the biting chill of the winds filled her with a sense of dread- a premonition of something to come. Had she been any other, she would have dismissed it as paranoia, but premonition meant everything when one lived the life of a demigod. It meant the faint line between life and death.

She did not want to fight another battle. She had lost enough people already, and it would be a while before she felt the thrill of battle yet again. Seeing Jason often at her camp had been hard on her. It was one thing to know that the one she loved was lost to another. It was entirely different having to watch them enjoy that which she was cursed never to find for herself. Even working to mend the camp had not been too easy. She still had to learn to work with Frank, and it would take time to build enough trust between them. Trust gained not merely from the knowledge of the other's past actions, but gained from interacting with one another.

She also wondered about Rachel, and the Sibylline books that she and Ella,the harpy, had been working on. Over time, she had come to see Rachel as a friend who did not pose a threat to the place she now called home. Her doubts that Rachel could manipulate the Romans like Octavian had had long been laid to rest, and she wondered if Rachel felt the same promotion that she did. If she didn't, then perhaps, it wouldn't be a matter of much concern, but if she did, then she knew they were all but clueless about what should be done.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. As she called for the person to enter, she didn't know if she should be worried or glad to know who had called on her. It was Rachel, and the neutral expression on her face gave away nothing. The small smile on her face hardly reached her eyes, which shone with worry. Even as she shut the door behind her, Reyna knew then that it was not something meant for all to hear. Rachel hadn't simply come to meet a friend. She had come here with a purpose. She had not come to her as Rachel Elizabeth Dare, but as Rachel, the host of the Oracle of Delphi.

"_Hello, Rachel! I didn't quite expect to see you. What brings you here today, for I can see it wasn't simply to talk of trivial matters?"_

_"Well, for one, I didn't expect to find myself here either but I thought I should let you know it first, before anybody else. In a way, you could say it concerns you."_

_"And what may that be?"_

_"I think it'd be better if we both get ourselves seated. As much as I hate to say this, it may not be something you'd like to hear."_

Reyna moved to take a seat. It wasn't like she feared what she could hear, but if Rachel thought it was something bad, then a bit of caution wouldn't be amiss.

"_So what is all this about? I don't suppose we have a prophecy on our hands again?"_

_"Not really, no. I suppose it may seem unusual to you, but over the past few days, I've been seeing phrases again. Not really on dreams or visions, but something of the sort."_

_"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"_

_"It didn't seem to be of much significance, until yesterday, when it mentioned you quite literally."_

_"Thank you Rachel. I'll see what I can do about it."_

Reyna pondered on that for a while. She took the small sheet that Rachel had left for her. On it were a few lines written in Rachel's hand, widely spaced from each other. Rachel was right. Read individually, they didn't seem to make much sense to her with the exception of a single line. Perhaps, she wasn't reading it in the right order.

She set the note apart for a while. Foremost on her mind, was making sure that no word got out of this new development. Romans found their strength in order and discipline. Fear would only cause havoc, and such tidings were bound to strike fear into those who were still recovering from the brutalities of war. She wouldn't tell Frank either. Not yet. If it was something that concerned her, she would decide if she would share it.

With such thoughts on her mind, she looked back at the note once more, trying her best to decipher it by putting it together in various ways. As she continued with her self-appointed task, she wondered how the other camp was doing. Percy and Annabeth had just left for their camp once more. They had been at New Rome for a while to study. She wondered how Nico was doing, and hoped to see him once more. The few days on the quest that she had journeyed with him had shown her that he was much more than he seemed. Maybe he would be able to tell her if the other camp was faring any better.

A few moments later, she looked back at the latest attempt she had made, reading the lines, _horror struck._


	2. Shadows

Camp Jupiter had not been alone in sensing the looming darkness. Camp Half-blood was having it's own share of weird. Weird even by the standards of a demigod, and all that happened ever since at the camp seemed to be the signs of an approaching apocalypse. Shadows were found across the Camp, from the Canoe Lake to the forest, they'd find shadows in random places. Shadows that resembled nothing of it's surroundings.

The vain hope that it had all been an elaborate prank by the Stolls had been put to rest knowing that the Stolls were still recovering from the last time they had peaked the campers, and the rest of the Hermes Cabin seemed to be as clueless as the others.The Hecate Cabin denied being involved in anything of the sort, even as Piper and Drew worked to calm the campers. The Hypnos cabin was unusually vigilant, and the Athena Cabin was all but clueless. Not an everyday occurrence at Camp!

It was at this time that they missed Rachel's presence. With the gods busy as it is, and Chiron still looking to help the camp recover both from the war, and from the Stolls' pranks, the campers were stretched thin between setting up precautions and looking for answers. Neither Annabeth nor Percy had joined them yet, and Jason was still at Camp Jupiter. They had no other leader to look to. They had all left for college, and this time, they were more lost than ever.

"_Hey there,death boy!_" A voice rang out in the clearing, breaking the ominous silence that had settled over the safe haven for half-bloods. The soft voice of Will Solace, son of Apollo, and a healer of the camp. Nico froze mid-step. If there was one person who could do that to him, it was Will, his boyfriend. He knew very well that he was in for a nice scolding. He braced himself and turned around, though a smile made it's way to his face uninvited.

"_What are you doing here? You were supposed to **stay** at the infirmary. Recovering. Not walking around to the gods know where, effectively undoing any good I may have done for you." _

Nico looked right down at his shoes, which seemed to be more interesting at the moment.

"_Three days up, Will! I'm leaving to meet Hazel. It's been a while."_

"_And how exactly do you suppose you would go there?"_

Nico did not dignify that with an answer, though Will didn't really need one. Seeing Nico look at anywhere but his face was an answer enough.

"_I've told you already, death boy. When I call you that it doesn't mean you have to **be** dead, or kill yourself, which is what you'd be doing should you decide to shadow travel once more, in case you weren't listening to me the last three days!"_

"_Don't worry about that. I'll manage somehow."_

"_Easy for you to say. As your boyfriend, I'm **supposed** to worry about that!"_

"_Very well. I'll take the hellhound. Is that any better?"__"That's ok. Come back safe."_

Nico nodded and took of to leave. On the way back to his cabin, he ran head-first into Pollux.

"_Whoa there! What's the hurry there?"__"Oh! I'm sorry about that. And Pollux? Can you just let your dad and Chiron know that I'll be gone for a while? I'll just be visiting Camp Jupiter. It'll be a few days at most."_

Pollux nodded and walked his way to his dad, Dionysus, or Mr.D, as he likes to be called at Camp. He thought of how much he missed his twin. Time had flown by, but the pain had hardly lessened. It felt different, knowing that he alone had survived of the two of them. 'Was this how Nico felt when they had all stayed away from him?' he wondered. Maybe it was time he moved on. His father did seem more concerned for him, and he had noticed it. He at least, held the hope that things could change for the better.

It was not long before Nico found himself well within New Rome, and waved at Mrs.O'Leary even as she bounded back into the shadows. Maybe she was going back to Hades to meet Cerberus. They did seem to keep grabbing each other's attention after all! He found Hazel training with the Fifth Cohort. She didn't seem too surprised to see him there, though she looked no less enthusiastic when she ran up to him. She hugged him tight,and for once, he returned it. She was his sister, and he loved her too much not to.

"_What brings you here Nico?"_

"_Nothing much, really. I just wanted to see you. It's been a long time. So, how are things going with Frank? I don't suppose I'll have something to say?"_

"_It's all fine here Nico,though we could really get used to having you around more often. I'm happy for you though."_

"_Well, I think I'll go meet Reyna then. Catch you later!"_

Nico walked straight into the principia. He'd expected Reyna to either be surprised, or annoyed. Relieved, was something he never expected.

"_Hey Nico! It's good to see you around here," _she said looking up from a piece of paper that she held.

"_Good to see you too. Have you noticed how gloomy it's been lately? I'm almost sure something is wrong. What do you think?"_

Reyna sighed. "_You're right. I know something is wrong. I just spoke to Rachel a while ago, and she gave me some...insight into this. I'm still not sure what it means Nico, but it doesn't sound like anything good. How are things at Camp?"_

Nico filled her in with the details of the shadows that they seemed to be finding.

"_I tried asking around a few souls, but they don't seem to know anything either."__"That doesn't sound too good for us Nico. I think it is best if you had a look at this."__"Yeah sure. What's that anyway? At least it can't be a prophecy. They aren't working yet. **Right**?"_


	3. The Prophecy

Nico and Reyna now stood face to face. Nico reached out to take the sheet that Reyna now held out to him. He decided he didn't want to read it just as yet. He would have twirled his blade, but he had left it outside knowing that it was one thing Terminus was very particular about. He looked to Aurum, Argentum, and back at Reyna.

"_So what exactly is this supposed to be?"__"I'm not too sure,Nico. Rachel just gave them to me."__"And how came she by these? As far as I'm aware, prophecies have not really been available to us these days. They are working again?"__"No. Visions."_

A single word. Nico knew about them. He had known that Rachel had had visions before she had been blessed by Apollo to take over as the new Oracle of Delphi. He knew that they tended to be quite accurate, like some demigod dreams tended to be. He looked down at the paper that he now held gingerly, read into it, and blanched.

_Do not despair, daughter of war__The fire rekindled shall return from afar,__A spawn of death once more consumed__By the pit whose fate is forever doomed,__The foes shall return to defeat the night__Who strives to obscure the one true sight._

Multiple thoughts crossed his mind at once. Unbidden memories flickered once more. Memories of anyone's worst nightmare. Memories of Tartarus. He had no doubts that it was that pit that the prophecy referred to, if it could even be called that. Spawn of death, the lines had read. He knew of no other save himself and Hazel, but if he hoped that it wouldn't be him, he prayed ten times more fervently that it wouldn't be her. He wouldn't forgive himself if he allowed anything to happen to her. He had made the mistake of trusting Percy with Bianca once. He wouldn't leave that responsibility to anyone ever again.

Reyna's own thoughts had taken a dark turn as well. She wasn't despairing, and she wasn't prone to do so anytime soon unless something really bad happened, but what worried her was the possibility of another war. The foes would be returning, it said. Which foes? Why would they return, and when? They had fought Giants, Titans, and why, many other monsters, none of whom she was too eager to face once more. She wondered what the part about fire meant. As far as she was concerned, it had never been associated with anything good.

After a few moments of contemplation,she looked back to Nico. Their sulking would not help their camps in the least. She needed to refresh herself, and fast. The quickest way would be to spar, and she had a feeling that her opponent was standing right there.

"_What say we spar for a while?"__"Sure. It'll do us both a hell of good beating each other up. Isn't that what they'll be trying to do soon enough?"__"Since when did **you** get a sense of humour? Anyway, we need to get our minds off this thing. Trust me, it'll help."__"Well then. Let's go."_

Reyna was right. It did help to vent when there was someone on the other side of the blade. For a while, the two of them exchanged blows and cuts until the were both dripping with sweat, weary and exhausted. Nico decided that it was time to leave. Camp Half-blood had to know, while Reyna had decided that she would give word to other trusted Romans too. They hoped either Chiron or Lupa would be able to guide them. Such an incidence had not occurred for many millennia, and even then, it had been a time when there had hardly been a haven for demigods. They needed help this time, and it was the truth. A bitter truth they couldn't afford to ignore.

First, he would go back to Camp and deliver the grave tidings. Then, if things went well, i.e, Will did not strangle him right away, he would leave to seek some answers in the Underworld. Despite common opinion that the dead can tell you nothing, he seemed to find them more abundant with information than the living seemed to claim. He also hoped he knew what he was doing. Tartarus had a mind of its own and the last thing he wanted to be doing was walking straight into a trap, but he decided that it would all be for the better. He had better things to do now than think of all the ways things could go wrong.

He decided to simply call for his undead chauffeur for the journey back. Hellhound were creatures of the Underworld,and he didn't feel it right to merely call for Mrs.O'Leary every time he decided to travel between the camps just because Will had forbidden him from shadow travelling for the foreseeable future. It would take a while, but now was one of the few times he could afford to take his time. It was not a matter if life and death, _yet_, so he still had a few hours on his hands before he had to face the campers once again. There would be questions, no doubt, and the newer campers would probably be against anything he tried to say, but there was still some time for that.

When he did arrive at Long Island, it looked unnaturally quiet, even to him. What was worse, was that he could feel it. Death was in the air, shrouding the entire camp in gloom. It had been a while, he could tell. He didn't know who it was, if it was anyone he had known, or if it was even a camper in the first place. He had been too far off to sense it. He could sense any death. It took some effort to decide which one he _wanted_ to sense, and that had surely not been on his mind when he'd made the small trip to the other side. He walked into camp to be met with a sight he had expected, but was totally unprepared for. _The burning of a shroud._


	4. Fire Rekindled

Praetor Reyna had not stayed put either. She had to know if things were really as bad as they seemed, and one quick way to do that was to check with the mortals. If things were obviously out of order among the mortals too, then she'd know that their problem was not being blown out of proportion. She got into a black BMW, the one she usually used when she meant business, and went out for a drive. She had never made the mistake of assuming that it would be an uneventful thing- such naïvety had long left her- but she definitely hadn't expected her car to break down in the middle of nowhere.

She had come quite a distance from New Rome, and it definitely wasn't advisable to walk all the way back. She did the next best thing that she could- try and find a mechanic. In the middle of nowhere, did she say? No, it wasn't really deserted. It just wasn't a place she knew too well. The first sign board that she stumbled across brought back bitter memories. Memories of fire and destruction. It was the day a single boy had threatened the watchful peace between the Greeks and Romans. Her home had been burnt down even as both praetors she had once trusted fled with the Greeks.

'_Leo and Calypso's Garage: Auto Repair and Mechanical Monsters'_ it read. Leo Valdez. That had been his name. She had never forgiven him entirely for what he had done, but she hadn't blamed him either. After all, her own father's death had haunted her for a long time. Moreover, she wasn't ignorant of the void that it left behind in the lives of the others. They had been devastated. The name kept getting to her though. She supposed the mechanic would be some demigod too. It wasn't a common name among mortals. Why, she was in for much more!

She walked in to find a gorgeous woman. She would have led herself to believe that she was an immortal, if only she hadn't noticed that there was no soft glow that surrounded her. Her beauty was ethereal, yes, but she didn't glow like a goddess did. A daughter of Venus maybe. Even as she approached the lady, she heard a voice call out, "_Sunshine? Who is it this time? I'll be there in a moment!" _She turned to see who it was that had spoken. There was something about his frame that seemed familiar,though she couldn't very well place what it was. Was it the way he spoke, or his features? She would have to see his face to know.

To say she was shocked would have been an understatement. She had seen Gwen return from death. She had seen _him_ die, but not once did she ever consider that seeing him once more was even a possibility, for right before her eyes, alive and whole, stood Leo Valdez, one of the Seven, wielder of fire, and son of Vulcan, known to others as Hephaestus. At that moment, she forgot everything she'd ever learnt of diplomacy. Anger surged through her as she remembered what he had done once. This was her closure. She slapped him.

"_What was that for?"_

_"New Rome."_

At that, he turned red, and his hand awkwardly moved next to the back of his head.

"_I may have deserved that. I didn't mean to do it though. Truly."_

_"I know."_

_"Well,now that **that's** clear, I need you to meet someone. Reyna, this is Calypso. Calypso, Reyna"_ he said, gesturing between the two of them. Reyna looked at her in surprise, but nodded. It wasn't like it was unbelievable after all, though how someone such as her had ended up with Leo was beyond her.

"_The others are not going to be half as kind, you know, considering that they're still mourning you."_

_"I'm touched. It's not really easy to replace Mr.McShizzle" _he said with a melodramatic sigh. That got him another hit, from Calypso this time.

"_I get that you love me Sunshine. You don't have to hit me for that!"_

With that, his face turned serious.

"_How are the others really doing? Jason? Pipes?"_

Reyna stiffened imperceptibly at those names, but she answered him nonetheless.

"_They're as fine as can be. Like __I said, they still mourn you, but otherwise, they seem to be fine. Haven't you sent them word yet?"_

"_I can't say I did. I tried some holographic messages, but apparently they__ didn't get them. Are they all still at camp?"_

"_Why don't you look for yourself? The reason I ended up here in the first place was because my car broke down. What say the two of you come back with me? It looks like something big is brewing and we could do with another hand or two."_

_"It's decided then. Pack up Sunshine! Team Leo's got some work to do!"_

In no time, the trio were on their way back to New Rome, the journey filled with simple conversations that left them catching up with each other, but Reyna's heart was heavy. Not a single word she had uttered of the 'prophecy' but she knew that it had already been set in motion. She was almost certain that it had referred to Leo, who had been presumed dead, and it filled her with dread and concern to know that darker things would soon come to pass. The Great Prophecy had come to pass, and so had the Prophecy of the Seven. Both had ended with major wars and huge losses on either side. It seemed unfair that those who had died with honour would never return, though their deaths would be nearly futile as the enemy regenerated and returned to the surface.

She wondered if she would ever see them again. If she would see them once more in Elysium at least. She had come so close to death many a time, not least of all when she faced Orion to protect Blackjack. She wondered if she would live long enough to see other prophecies come and go, or see Apollo reclaim his godhood, if in fact the rumours were true. She wondered of she would see Hylla once more in good health, or even Thalia whom she had once met, but tonight, she would have more to think of. There would be no war games to celebrate Leo's return. Fire may have been rekindled, yes, but not in her camp just as yet. It was still too early to be certain that there wouldn't be any hostilities. As for that, she decided, it was time the visited Camp Half-blood once more.


	5. Death

Percy awoke to a loud commotion that morning. Not that he didn't welcome the din. Once more were his dreams plagued with memories of Tartarus, and his wakefulness were a welcome relief from this dark memories. When he finally rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he froze. It was cabin inspection and he had left his cabin thoroughly messed up. Not that it was unusual for him anyway. What was worse was that there would be no help for him this time around. Tyson had gone of to Camp Jupiter to help his 'girlfriend' Ella. His own girlfriend? Well she would be the one doing the inspection in the first place, and she wouldn't be giving him any liberties. If she told him it had to be tidied up, he'd just have to do it.

Percy didn't bother looking at the time. Every second he got would be a gift in itself. Cleaning first, looking around later. The commotion could sort itself out. He had more important things to do. After a while, though,Percy being well, Percy, got curious. It wasn't like the noises were going away, and it seemed like there was some serious panic out there. Where was Chiron when you needed him?

He quickly looked at the time to see how much longer he would get to finish up. He was rather surprised to see that Annabeth was running late! Perhaps something was really wrong after all! He grabbed Riptide and rushed out to see what the mess was all about. Nothing could have prepared him for what came next. Not another hundred years as a demigod. Not even another quest or two. Everything went still for a moment, and then it all came crashing down. Annabeth was nowhere to be seen, and if he was hearing things right, he doubted if he would see her ever again.

Question after question was aimed at Chiron, though for what may have been the first time, the wise centaur too had no answers. Annabeth had not been seen after last night, and no one knew where she had gone. She seemed to have just disappeared, leaving neither clue nor trail behind. What worried them more, was that all her belongings were still at her cabin, untouched. At first, they had all thought that she had sneaked out like she had once with Percy to the Sea of Monsters, but this time, she was alone.

He barely heard snippets of the conversation. Few questions broke through to him.

"_How do we know if she really is gone?"_

_"Was it a monster?"_

_"No! They cannot enter the camp!"__"_

_What of there is another spy amongst us? It has happened before!"_

_"Silence!"_ ordered Chiron. Mr.D was away, and for the time being, the camp was left to it's own devices. _"There will be no such talk anymore. Panic is not going to helo us. It will only serve to weaken us further. Train for battle instead. I suspect we will soon be thrust into one."_

_"What of the new campers? We don't have enough weapons!"_

_"What of the Ares Cabin and the armoury?"_

_"Most of our weapons were sabotaged by the Stolls! We'll need time to fix them!"_

_"We can only hope that we have that much time."_

Were they to have no peace? Was it their fate to be forever apart? No, Percy told himself. Nothing would happen to Annabeth. He had to believe in her like she did in him. It was then that he realized that someone was speaking to him. He had been lost in his own thoughts, and hadn't heard most of what was being said, though it must have been important for someone to speak to him. They knew how much Annabeth meant to him, and so far, everyone else had just let him be, giving him the space he needed.

It seemed it was Clovis who was speaking. That got him listening. Any child of Hypnos was usually found sleeping, especially Clovis, their Head Councillor, but if he had something to say, then people would be wise to listen. Having noted Percy' s blank expression, he started all over again. Most of the camp's leaders were away, and it was important that he understood._ I will worry about that later. The Camp needs me. Everyone needs me,_ he told himself.

"_Not long ago, I had a dream. A vision of sorts, you can say. It hadn't made much sense then, but now I see that I should have told Chiron right away. Not much was clear. All I could see and hear was a dark form cloaked in darkness. Perhaps I was playing the role of a bystander, but I heard a noise. Then someone was drawing closer, knife in hand, probably trying to investigate what the sound was. It was all a blur after that, but somewhere along the way, the girl, I presume, lashed out. Then, she just vanished. I don't know who that dark figure was, but she seemed to exude power."_

Chiron's face grew grave with concern.

"_Anyone who can exude perceivable power must have been an immortal. That much is certain. I just hope we aren't dealing with someone beyond us. Do you remember where this happened, Clovis?"_

"_Yes Chiron. It happened well within our camp. Somewhere near the woods. Maybe close to our borders. I may know better when I get there."_

_"Can you lead us there?"_

Clovis nodded, and with Percy and Chiron hot on his heels, he took off. They stopped near the trees, shocked. There amongst the trees lay the frozen shadow of a girl, looming eerily close to the chalky outlines that are found at crime scenes.

"_I hope I am wrong about what has happened here, but this is definitely the work of someone far more powerful than us. I suppose we will have to wait for a few days for her to return."_

_"What if she does not?" _came a soft whisper.

_"Then__ we burn the shroud." _


	6. A Quest

It had been three days. Three days since Annabeth had disappeared without a trace. Three days since they had realized that there was no way they could do anything without sending a quest. Three days since Percy had spoken a word to anyone else. Almost all hope of Annabeth's return had been lost, and preparations were being made to burn her shroud. There wasn't much more that they could do. It wasn't like they could walk into the Underworld just to see if Annabeth was there. Hades would most definitely not appreciate that. They had all hoped that she would come back, just as Percy had once crashed his own funeral, but it was becoming obvious that such a thing was not meant to be.

Soon, it had been decided that they would burn her shroud. It was the least they could do if indeed she had met her end, alone, and without anybody to stand by her. It had been as beautiful as she had been in life. As startlingly grey as her eyes had been. It had been interwoven with a green as deep as the stormy seas. A tribute to all that she had meant to the son of Poseidon.Woven into it were motifs symbolic of everything she had achieved during her lifetime- her quest, her part as one of the Seven, her redesigning of Olympus.

Percy said nothing throughout the funeral. What was there to be said? He would pick himself up and start doing things once more. Annabeth had searched for him for so many months. It wouldn't hurt him to spend a few to find out what happened to her. She was gone. He could feel it, but that wouldn't stop him from finding out who or what killed her. The immortals thought they were all powerful, but they underestimated one thing- mortals only live once. They have nothing more to lose when their loved once are lost, and the ones who have nothing to lose are the most dangerous of them all. Soon, he would be leaving the camp for good. Not to start his life like Annabeth would have wanted to with him, but to find and bring her killer to justice. He would be going whether or not a quest was called. He was a demigod. A son of the eldest gods who had come through it all alive. Nothing would stop him now.

Meanwhile, Nico had walked further into the camp. _Whose shroud were they burning? What had happened when he had gone? _For a second, his heart lurched when he could not find the ine face he was looking for. He let out a small sigh of relief as he soon spotted Will in the crowd, but that led to an even greater sense of foreboding. _Who was it? How had such a thing happened? _He looked next for Percy. He found him looking desolate yet vengeful, and suddenly, he realized he didn't want to know the answers any more. Something very bad had happened to one of his friends. Something to do with all the queer occurances.

It was during this mournful scene that Reyna, Leo and Calypso had arrived at Camp. Not long after, Frank, Hazel, Rachel, and Jason too had returned. They had received news from camp, and they arrived with all haste. For a moment, they were all stunned to hear that Annabeth was no longer with them. Jason was by Piper's side as they mourned together, but even to them, she had been someone who they could confide in. Someone smart and reliable. Together, they decided, they would help Percy out of this. For a second, they each imagined what it would be like to lose the other, and whatever it was that they felt, they knew Percy would feel it ten times more.

This was nothing that Leo had expected to see. He had expected a party or something of the sort for what would have been a dramatic return, but now, he only thought of how he had never gotten to know Annabeth as much as he'd like to. Calypso was stunned. She had no courage to approach Percy. If she had been wary before, she now had good cause to. She could almost hear him asking her, "_Are you happy now? Are you happy how that she is lost to me?" _but she knows he won't. He is not like the others. Reyna too had lost a friend and the news was totally unexpected, but that did not stop her from remembering the reason she had first set out. In fact, it was even more of importance now.

_"Chiron, I believe I have to tell you something. A few days ago, Rachel came to me with a few lines from her vision. It looks now, to be a prophecy that is coming to pass" _and she repeated to him what she had first written.

_"A quest it shall be. Praetor Reyna, I think this quest is for you to handle. Pick your team and head out. This time, I'm afraid, we are going to need all the help we can get."_

"_I'm going"_ came a voice from behind them. Percy. "_I'm going. I will be of more use there than here. I want to find out what happened to Annabeth and no one is going to stop me."_

_"We never would, Percy, and we are with you. Even if you are not one of the three, I suppose we will begin the journey together. Nico, I think it is best if you join us too. We are not sure what this quest calls for. It would be best to seek some answers first."_

He looked once at Will, shrugged, and nodded his assent, before voicing his question.

"_Seek answers from where? Where would we seek answers if none of us have it?"_

"_Why? The Underworld of course" _came the voice of one more that they had believed to be silenced for good, for there stood Octavian, legacy of Apollo, the former augur of Camp Jupiter.


	7. The Underworld

It seemed Octavian wasn't the only one who had returned, for Mr.D was with them too. They were fairly certain it was to ensure that Octavian wouldn't be killed on spot, but they were glad for the divine 'assistance' nonetheless. None of them quite understood how it as that Octavian still stood with them thoigh he had blasted himself off an onager. It was a Herculean feat for Leo to have survived his explosion, and even he had used the Physician's Cure.

To Percy, especially, it seemed so unfair that if all people, Octavian would be the one who got his second chance. So many more had died, so many for whom he blamed himself, and yet, it was the war-mongering Roman who lived. He would have, perhaps, argued about it, but the fight was out of him. What more did he have to fight for? His mortal family? They'd probably be safer than ever when he was gone.

He would join the two of them on the quest, for now, and then give up his questing for good. He'd get as far off from the camp life as possible. Maybe near Alaska. That would wait a little longer while he pieced together the puzzle of Annabeth's mysterious disappearance. Even as they prepared to leave, Mr.D was there to give them their parting speech. He said something about the need for demigods to prove their competence, and a lot more that made as much sense as the gods usually did, but the campers just weren't in the mood for it, and as some noticed, neither was Mr.D himself. It was more forced than ever.

Once it was all done, Mr. D adressed Octavian after ignoring him during the entirety of his speech.

"_Ogre Orangutan, it has been some time since you visited Camp."_

_"AUGUR OCTAVIAN!"_ he replied indignantly.

"_Whatever Octagun."_

"_IT'S OCTAVIAN!"__"Whichever."__"Stupid Graecus"__"What was that Octopus?"__"Nothing_" he grumbled.

"_I thought as much."_

With that said, the unseemly trio moved out. Neither of them were much into it. Reyna was still trying to digest the fact that she would be visiting the Underworld, even more so that all it's aspects would be very much Greek. Percy strode ahead with a single purpouse in mind while Octavian kept grumbling about how unfair it was that his punishment seemed to be spending an entirety with the very _graecus_ he resented with a passion. It was a sombre journey. Had Leo joined them, there might have been a lighter atmosphere encasing them, though they had all decided that he would be most useful back at Camp. They were all running short of weapons and off anybody could make so many on such short notice, it was Leo Valdez.

Nico had left on his own to seek his own answers and he had been joined by Hazel and Frank. It had been decoded that it was better for the two of them to stay close to each other and keep the other out of trouble. Will, Jason and Piper had gone too. All teams would inevitably rezvendous after their task in the Underworld had been completed. They wouldn't stay long as a safety measure, but vital information would be exchanged before they proceeded any further. Chiron had gone against protocol and sent multiple groups of three, each with a part to play on the quest. He claimed that dire situations called for desperate measures.

It was quite a long yet uneventful journey. They hadn't been met with any monsters along the way, and the humans weren't too much of a bother. The last time he had tried to venture this way, they'd had the help of a satyr to prose the rock open. They would have to go another way this time. Thankfully,it wasn't much of a problem with Octavian around, and they went ahead unhindered. There was no small talk either. Neither if them got on particularly well, and it was best they kept to themselves rather than fighting each other. The deathly vibes from the lands around them did not help make the atmosphere any less depressing,though it didn't seem to bother Octavian at all, though he wisely said nothing about it.

The closer they went to the Underworld, the more memories ravaged Percy. He had been there before. Multiple times, actually. So many times that it quite surprised everyone that he had still managed to walk out alive. This time, there was none of the North that went hand in hand with any journey. Annabeth wasn't there anymore, and might never be ever again.

"_How many more times?"_

It was a statement filled with grief, and a bit of guilt too. He had been there before. He had seen the souls of the dead. This time, his Wise Girl would probably be one of them, and he didn't know if he could hold himself together if he saw her like that. He had once promised Annabeth that he would never leave her again. What we it but cruel fate to have led them so that she left him instead? Thanatos had promised him once that they would meet again but under much worse conditions. Percy wondered how that could ever be possible, for now he could only await the time to find her once more, be it in Camp or at Elysium.

Reyna wasted no time in questioning Octavian though. He had essentially committed treason against New Rome, and she would have to decide swiftly as to where his allegiance was.

"_Why are you here Octavian?"_

_"Simple. I told you already. They decided the only crime I commited was to see the downfall of the Greeks,because I loved Rome more. As punishment, I would spend a long while helping the very Greeks I wanted to destroy before they came back for me."_

Just then, the two of them noticed Percy stop, and they did too, wondering why.

"_We are here. Welcome to Hades, also known as the Underworld. It's time to get our answers. _Let's be done with it."


	8. The Dead

They came across Charon first. The boatman seemed none too happy to see them once more.

"_My lord has been expecting you. Give me the drachmas and we shall leave."_

Reyna handed them out even as they boarded the boat. Octavian visibly shuddered looking at the dead. After all, he did belong with them, though for what reason he had been granted a second chance was beyind him- a rather guilty sin of Hades perhaps? He would find out later. Their trio had more important things to do.

"_Is she here, Charon?"_

The boatman turned to see the one who had spoken to him. Perseus Jackson, son of Poseidon, whom he had met quite some years ago.

"_I am to say nothing. Hades' orders."_

He would likely have made a comment about the pay rise he had asked for all those years ago, but even he could see it just wasn't the time. The Underworld wasn't a nice place to visit by a far stretch so the fact that three demigods had come, with explicit permission from camp, spoke volumes of the situation. Moreover, one does not simply joke with the Heroes of Olympus when they are questing. After all, the gods owe them much. The rest of the boat ride is mournfully silent. Even as they cross the Styx, Charon points the way and takes his leave. There is no need to wish them luck, for they all know there is none to be found.

They walk past Cerberus and into Hades' halls. Many a strange glance is cast their way for it is obvious that they are living, but nine dare to question the Lord of the Dead. Hades sits on his throne looking more pensive than usual. His face no longer holds that stoic mask, and the demigods can't help but wonder why.

_"Reyna Avila Ramirez Arellano. Octavian. Perseus Jackson. I know your names, and have met two of you under quite unpleasant circumsatances so pray, tell, what brings you here?"_

Reyna answered him first.

_"Chiron sent us. We're here to search for amswers. Answers from the dead, or from you. Either way would be fine."_

_"Answers, you say, praetor of Rome? What anwers do you seek from the dead that you would not find among the living? Who said you'd find them here?"__"Nico did. Now will you help us?"_

Reyna almost missed the way Hades stiffened at the name. She would have to ask Nico later. She reverted her attention to what Hades had to say.

_"You may probably know by now that the one you are dealing with is no ordinary mortal. It's a primordial. One of the strongest of us all. There aren't many who hold power over the shadows. I can only hope it isn't who I think it could be. If I am right, then she'll have too many allies, and this will be a battle we cannot win."_

Reyna didn't like the sound of that. Hades definitely wasn't one of the optimistic Olympians and they had won quite their share if such battles before, but just who where they facing this time? Had this primordial ever faced the gods before?

_"Who is it, then?"__"That is not for me to tell, though I suppose I can allow you to speak with the dead just this once. I'd rather have Nico do it, yet you'll have to Do, for I see you still don't trust Octavian, and neither will some of the dead."_

This time, it was Percy who spoke first.

_"Why? Where is Nico?"__"He left. He would not tell me where to. I cannot reach him anymore, though I can assure you he is not among the dead."_

_"And you just let him go? What if he's hurt?"_

No one talks to a god that way. Especially when that god is Hades. You don't want to live the rest of your life as a miserable skeleton, or even worse, Hades' clothes. Apparently, this surprised even Hades, for the only reaction they got out of him was a raised eyebrow.

"_I do not know what he is up to, but if you do come across him, keep an eye on him. I'd like it if he makes it back. Preferably, alive."_

"_Isn't that a lovely sentiment,"_ came Octavian's sarcastic comment, only to be met with three pairs of eyes boring holes onto him.

_"Alecto will guide you to Elysium now. There are some who await you. The others will move on without any notice. Don't cause trouble. I won't be very forgiving."_

The fury brought back bad memories of how it all started. Of how he met Annabeth, and if how he'd likely never meet her again. Gone was his humour, and gone was his craving for anything blue. True, the pain would likely pass with time, yet it felt so different when he'd lost his mother. Annabeth had been there, then. Now it was her he was missing.

"_Is she here?"_ he asked as they approached the glimmering souls.

"_Miss me?" _came a whisper so close it almost caressed his ear.

Even as he looked for the source of the voice, he felt so much more than he thought he ever would. He felt like he finally understood what Orpheus once felt like. See in those blonde princess curls framing a face that held eyes as grey as storm clouds, he wished more than ever that he could simply walk out from the Underworld with her walking side by side. He tried to through his arms around her and hold her close one last time, yet disappointment was all that came to him, for his hands just passed through her shimmering form.

_"You're here, Wise Girl! Why are you here? We promised we'll never leave each other. I could throw you now as you did in New Rome, but I don't suppose that's possible now,"_ he trailed of with a broken laugh. For a while, neither of them spoke, and he was grateful that Reyna and Octavian were giving him some space. That's when he heard a voice he never expected to hear again. "_I'd say that's a yes, Annie. I don't suppose I'll hear the same though. Nice to see you, Percy."_


End file.
